Stefano is a London-based drummer and percussionist, originally from Italy.

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He is an active performer involved in an eclectic range of situations and music genres: live concerts, studio recordings, contemporary dance and theatre productions; from funk/soul, afro-beat and jazz to world-music/folk, dance/electronic and free-impro.

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His main aspirations as an instrumentalist consist of exploring ways to combine different (and at times contrasting) techniques, sounds and vocabularies via the use of various set-ups.

This artistic approach is then reflected in the music he aims to create through collaborations with a diverse range of musicians and artists.

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Stefano began studying drum kit at the age of 16 in his hometown, but it was not until a year later (2006) that his passion for music and drumming began flourishing; that was when he met musician, drummer, producer and educator David Cervigni, who since then has been, and still is, Stefano's main musical mentor.

After a few years, in October 2009, he moved to London to undertake further studies at the renowned Tech Music School.

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He graduated in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in popular music performance on drum kit (released by the University of West London) and throughout the years attended several percussion workshops and private lessons on Brazilian, Cuban and West African drumming with the likes of Joao Bosco De Oliveira, Tony Santos, Bill Bland, Souleymane Compo, Mohamed Gueye, Samuel Kweku Addison, Frank Kobina Pra, Pape Seck, Amos Asare and Adam Rudolph to name a few.

Also, he had the chance to study with well-renowned jazz musicians such as Dave Liebman, Jeff Ballard, Larry Grenadier, Francisco Mela, Ari Hoenig, Gege Munari, Sebastian De Krom and Jesper Bodilsen, amongst others.

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In the spring of 2016, Stefano successfully applied to Glomas, a world music master's degree course, with the intention of expanding his technical and stylistic vocabulary.

By undertaking the two years long programme, first at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (Finland) and then at the Royal Academy of Music Aarhus (Denmark), he had the opportunity to experience the Nordic European countries' cultures and music scenes; to collaborate with musicians and colleagues coming from any part of the world and getting to play with them in a variety of folkloric and hybrid musical situations; to study with some of the European improvising leading figures such as Marylyn Mazur, Helge Norbakken, Nathan Riki Thomson, Adriano Adewale, Teho Majamaki, Abdissa 'Mamba' Assefa, Juuso Hannukainen, Peter Dombernowsky and Raoul Björkenheim, to name but a few.

He officially graduated with a master's degree in June 2018.

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In 2021, Stefano was fortunate enough to be awarded two funding opportunities by UK organisations such as Arts Council England and Help Musicians, towards the acquisition and development of recording and producing skills.

As a result, by the summer of 2022 he completed three short courses at Goldsmiths University in London and gave life to 'Chameleon drums&perc Studio' where he started his recording and production activity. 

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Furthermore, in April 2023, Stefano travelled to the town of Cape Coast in Ghana where he undertook an intense month of folkloric drumming research, practice and performance in collaboration with the local musical group 'Twerammpon Traditional'.

The main styles he had the chance to look at with master Odomankoma-Kyerema Kwamena Pra are Tokpe, Kpatsa, Bobobo, Atsiagbekor, Gadzo from the Ewe ethnic group; Adwoa and Kete from the Ashanti; Asafo and Fontomfrom from the Fante.

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